These melt-in-your-mouth adorable little buttery classic Spritz Cookies are made easily with seven ingredients in a cookie press. I love to bake them for friends and family during the Christmas holidays. The little Christmas trees and wreaths look adorable on my holiday cookie trays.
However, they also sell discs for many other holidays, so you can use your cookie press year-round. The kids love to help with these simple cookies, so get the whole family involved in the holiday festivities.
I have always loved to bake cookies, but using my cookie press is especially fun. Oh, and did I mention how incredibly easy it is? I like to decorate them with sprinkles, chocolate chips, melted chocolate, nonpareils, and sanding sugar. These little beauties have a rich butter flavor and tender texture.
I love to include these cute little cookies on my holiday trays, along with chocolate peppermint cookies, chocolate cherry cookies, and haystack cookies.
What are Spritz Cookies?
They are tiny cookies that are similar to butter cookies and sugar cookies. They are formed using a cookie press. The dough is made with a little more than a handful of ingredients using a mixer. Unlike shortbread cookies, the dough contains an egg.
The mixture is then spooned into a cookie press fitted with disks to create different shapes. The cookies are then pressed out onto a baking sheet. The whole package works remarkably well and effortlessly. Add sprinkles before baking, or dip them in melted chocolate or a simple powdered sugar glaze after baking, and then add sprinkles.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter: unsalted. If using salted butter, eliminate the added salt.
- Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar for a light melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Extract: I like to use vanilla and almond for the best flavor.
- Toppings: melted chocolate chips, sprinkles, sanding sugar, and nonpareils.
How To Make Spritz Cookies
Start by creaming your butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Then, add the egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until combined.
Turn the mixer to low and add the flour, mixing until incorporated. Fill the cookie press with the mixture and press the cookie dough onto a cool baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake in a preheated oven for about 6 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool.
Wait for the cookies to fully cool before dunking or drizzling them with chocolate or powdered sugar glaze. Decorate with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils immediately after dunking or drizzling.
Preparation Tips
- This may be the only cookie I advise baking on the cookie sheet without parchment paper or silicone mats, as both hold heat and cause the cookies to spread too fast.
- If you add sprinkles to the cookies without chocolate or a glaze, sprinkle them on before baking so they stick to the cookies.
- I have always found that spritz dough moves best through the cookie press right after mixing. Refrigeration makes it too stiff to move freely through the cookie press.
Store and Freeze
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
These cookies freeze exceptionally well for up to 2 months, so plan your holiday baking today. If freezing the cookies, do so before decorating, then thaw and decorate. Chocolate tends to absorb freezer odors, change textures, and whiten in the freezer.
Recipe Variations
- Colored: If you want to change the dough’s color, add a small amount of gel food coloring before blending the flour into the cookie dough.
- Chocolate: To make chocolate spritz cookies, reduce the flour by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the cookie dough.
- Spice sprits: To make spice spritz cookies, add warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, or allspice. Just remember that a little goes a long way.
More Cookie Recipes
Spritz Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1⅔ cups powdered sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- optional chocolate chips, melted chocolate, sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange oven rack in center of oven.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer on medium speed, cream your butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt, mixing just until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour, mixing just until incorporated.
- Fill the cookie press and press the cookies onto a cool baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 6 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool for 3-4 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
- Wait for the cookies to fully cool before dunking or drizzling them with chocolate or powdered sugar glaze. Decorate with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils immediately after. If you want to decorate without dunking or drizzling, simply speckle with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or nonpareils before placing them in the oven to bake.
Notes
- This may be the only cookie I advise baking on the cookie sheet without parchment paper or silicone mats, as both hold heat and cause the cookies to spread too fast.
- If you add sprinkles to the cookies without chocolate or a glaze, sprinkle them on before baking so they stick to the cookies.
- I have always found that spritz dough moves best through the cookie press right after mixing. Refrigeration makes it too stiff to move freely through the cookie press.
Nutrition
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Linda Chambless
Beth, I’ve made and loved these cookies for years. But have had a love/hate relationship w cookie presses (old time and newer electric models). So much so that I no longer have one! What suggestions does anyone have for non pressed “Spritz” cookies that could still have a bit of shape/style/flair? Many thanks!!
Beth Pierce
Good morning, Linda! I am not sure so let’s see if the readers have any suggestions.
Tayler
The kids and I made these over the weekend and they were so fun! Adding to our cookie trays this year!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tayler! So glad that you and kids had fun!
Bobby
These cookies are so good! I made them over the weekend and loved them. Will definitely be making again for the holidays!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Bobby!
Ieva
Melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Baked them directly on the sheet, and they didn’t spread much, retaining their shape. Will make them again closer to Christmas!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Ieva! Merry Christmas!
Nikki
These classics spritz cookies are so cute and delicious. They will be a fantastic addition to my Holiday dessert table.
Traci
This is cookie perfection right here! Love this classic recipe and all the helpful tips. Thanks for sharing!
Monique
Wow! Your cookie recipe was a game-changer! Surprisingly easy for a non-cook like me. The spritz technique was a fun twist. My friends loved them! Thanks for making me a baking hero without the usual kitchen drama.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Blair villanueva
Wow, these spritz cookies are delicious and hard to resist. I would love to make these as well in gluten-free version for my elderly-friends. You did an awesome job!
Olga
Such cute cookies for the winter holiday! I bet Santa will love them too. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Olga!
Carol Colborn
I will use dark chocolate chips. But what about a different flour to make it GF?
Beth Pierce
I am not familiar with gluten free flours but maybe the readers are.
Jen
I haven’t made spritz cookies in so long. I need to try to make them again this year. Thanks for the recipe and reminder!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Jen!
Vinny
Wow, these were so good and I would give them 10/10. So easy, delicious, and adorable. Perfect cookies for my holiday trays.
LisaLisa
These Spitz cookies were a hit in our house. Everyone loved them and they look so cute. If you don’t have a cookie press, I encourage you to get one!
Beth Pierce
I could not agree more, Lisa!
Ebony
I made these for my kids this afternoon and it was a hit! They’re so easy and fun to make! Plus they’re so moist! I can’t wait to make these again!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ebony! So glad that you and the kids enjoyed making them and eating them.
Julie
This spritz cookie recipe is sure to be a hit at the holidays! It reminds me of when my mother and her sisters used to do a cookie exchange at Christmas every year, and this spritz recipe could be our new favorite Christmas tradition. Thanks for sharing your talents!
LisaLisa
Yum! Grab a few of these with some coffee or cocoa and my kids would be happy. I too love to bake cookies and treats during the Holiday Season.